Washer-extractor unitary frame structure with parallel plates



Aug. 5, 1969 T. w. BANNON, JR 3,459,461

WASHER'EXTRACTOR UNITARY FRAME STRUCTURE WITH PARALLEL PLATES Filed Oct.2, 1967 2 LL N \W w 1 h 1% a y: t,

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,459,461 WASHER-EXTRACTOR UNITARY FRAMESTRUC- TURE WITH PARALLEL PLATES Thomas W. Bannon, Jr., 927 39th Ave.,

East Moline, Ill. 61244 Filed Oct. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 672,364 Int. Cl.F26b 11/04; D06f 23/02 US. Cl. 312-214 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A cabinet for a laundry machine having front, intermediateand rear vertical panels with side panels at the edges thereof. Atubular shell is mounted between an opening in the front panel and thebulkhead panel. Between the bulkhead panel and the rear panel there ismounted a drive support comprising a pair of spaced, horizontal,parallel panels with a pair of parallel, vertical panels weldedtherebetween.

The present invention relates to a cabinet construction for a laundrymachine of the washer-extractor type and more particularly to a drivesupport panel assembly forming a unitary structure with the other frameelements.

In one form of laundry machine, the basket is rotatably mounted on ahorizontal axis upon a frame structure enclosed within a cabinet. Suchlaundry machines, particularly of the washer-extractor type andcommercial units, generally required rigid, expensive structural framemembers to absorb the load resulting from the operation of the rotatingbasket and the basket driving mechanism. The frame members are generallyseparate from the housing or cabinet which is itself incapable ofabsorbing any load incidental to the operation of the machine. As thecapacity of the laundry machine is increased, various forms of A-frameconstructions have generally been employed to withstand the severe loadsgenerated by the operation of such machines. While these variousstructures are satisfactory in absorbing the loads, the cost ofmanufacturing such substantial structures is generally out of proportionto the cost of the other components of the machine. This increased costis generally due to the large number of structural elements required andto the complexity in assembling the elements to form a rigid andsubstantial frame structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved framestructure for a laundry machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame structure forlaundry machines which is inexpensive to manufacture yet is simple andrugged in construction.

In one aspect of the invention, there "may be provided in a laundrymachine cabinet a front panel, a rear panel and an intermediate bulkheadpanel between the front and rear panels with the three panels being inspaced parallel relationship. Side panels are at the edges of thesethree panels. A tubular sheel has one end mounted in an opening in thefront panel with a slip fit and its other end attached to the bulkheadpanel so as to define a basket securing chamber within the cabinet. Apair of spaced parallel horizontal panels is fixed to the bulkhead andrear panels at an elevation above the bottom edges of said panels andbelow the centerline of the tubular shell. A pair of spaced parallelvertical panels is attached between the parallel horizontal panels. Thehorizontal and vertical panels define an H-shaped panel assembly to forma support for the drive for the basket rotatably mounted within thebasket-receiving chamber.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and accompanying drawings which are merelyexemplary.

3,459,461 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the cabinet and frameconstruction of a laundry machine according to the present invention;and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference symbolts indicate thesame parts throughout the various views, a specific embodiment of thepresent invention will be described in detail.

The structure according to the invention may be incorporated in alaundry machine cabinet indicated generally at 10 and comprising a frontpanel 11 and side panels 12 and 13 which may be formed from a singlesheet of material. The front panel is provided with a circular opening14.

The cabinet is supported by a base assembly 15 which may comprise fourbase angles, such as 16 and 17, which are welded into a rectangularshape. The cabinet is enclosed by a top panel 18 and a rear panel 19.

An intermediate bulkhead panel 20 having flanges 21 is mounted betweenthe front and rear panels and substantially parallel thereto, as may beseen in FIG. 1. A tubular shell 22 is mounted with its one end 23received in front panel opening 14 and its other end 24 being connectedto the bulkhead panel 20. The centerline of the tubular shell 22 isindicated at 25 and the shell thus defines a basket-receiving chamberwithin the cabinet.

The drive support assembly for the basket driving mechanism is indicatedgenerally at 26 and is substantially H-shaped. The assembly comprises apair of spaced parallel horizontal panels 27 and 28 having flanges alongtheir edges, the horizontal panels being attached, such as by spotwelding, to bulkhead panel 20, rear panel 19, and side panels 12 and 13.

A pair of spaced parallel vertical panels or support members 29 and 30having flanges along their edges is welded between the horizontal panelsin substantially the position shown in FIG. 2.

As may be seen from the drawings, the drive support assembly 26 ismounted at a substantial elevation above the bottom of the cabinet butjust below the centerline of the basket shell. The drive shaft for thebasket is substantially coextensive with centerline 25 and may be driventhrough a suitable electric motor and gear drive mounted on the upperpanel 27. The H-shaped drive support assembly comprising the parallel,horizontal panels interconnected by parallel, vertical panels thusprovides a rugged yet relatively simple support for the drive of thelaundry machine.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a cabinetstructure for laundry machines and the like which is simply constructedyet is able to withstand the vibrations and stresses of constantoperation of the machine. The construction of the drive support assemblyand its mounting between the bulkhead and rear panels provides asubstantial platform for the drive mechanism of the laundry machine.

It will be understood that changes in various details of constructionand arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a laundry machine cabinet, the combination of a front panel and arear panel; an intermediate bulkhead panel between said front and rearpanels, said panels being in spaced, parallel relationship; side panelsat the edges of said panels, there being an opening in said front panel;a tubular shell having one end thereof secured to said opening and theother end thereof secured to said bulkhead panel to define a basketreceiving chamber within said cabinet; and an H-shaped panel assemblyattached between said bulkhead, rear and side panels said H-shaped panelassembly comprising a pair of spaced, parallel, horizontal panels fixedto said bulkhead and rear panels at an elevation above the bottom edgesof said panels, and a pair of spaced, parallel, vertical panels fixedbetween said parallel horizontal panels, said horizontals and vetricalpanels defining a support for the drive for the basket within the basketreceiving chamber.

2. In a laundry machine cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidhorizontal panels have flanges on the edges thereof for attaching tosaid bulkhead, rear and side panels.

3. In a laundry machine cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidvertical panels have flanges on their upper 15 and lower edges forattaching to said horizontal panels.

4 4. In a laundry machine cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidhorizontal panels are below the centerline of said tubular shell.

5. In a laundry machine cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidhorizontal and vetrical panels are welded to their respective panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 3,206,267 9/1965 Gruner et a1312-228 3,211,505 10/1965 Storie 312-213 X 3,277,584 10/1966 Krolzick34-133 CASIMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,L;59,h6l Dated Au ust 5. 1969 Inventorfli) Thomas W. Bannon, Jr.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

r Column 1, line 11,6, "the" should be --these--; Column 1, line 58,"sheel" should be -shel1-;.Column 2, lines 7 end 8, "symbolts" should be--symbols--; Column 3, line 2, lnsert a comma after "panels"; Column 3,lines 7 and 8, "horizontals" should be --horizontal.

SIGNED AND SEALED APR281970 Attest:

WILLIAM E. soHuYmR.

Edward M. Fletcher, 51"

Commissioner of was: Attestmg Offncer

